A large procession roared past on the road, stirring a trail of yellow dust and filled with continuous laughter and shouts. At the rear of the column were several men pushing carts and carrying flags, dressed in plain attire rather than the uniforms worn by the frontline mercenaries. They were merely the servants of the company—those responsible for laundry, cooking, and setting up tents—working in the background. Among this group of dusty servants, a man pushing a cart and wearing a tattered sunhat suddenly raised his head. His face, thick with dust, was mostly obscured; only his pair of black eyes remained visible. At first glance, he appeared no different from the other servants with blank, expressionless faces beside him. "Indeed, it's no wonder this is a fortress guarding the frontier—its scale is truly astonishing, far surpassing any city within the empire..." Gazing at the towering walls, which appeared ever more imposing as the distance closed in, he suddenly murmured a soft sigh. It was Xiao Yan, and from the look of things, he seemed intent on leveraging this mercenary unit to gain a foothold within the empire's final stronghold. As the队伍 moved deeper into the dust, drawing nearer to the massive city gate, Xiao Yan glanced upward at the walls, his eyes slightly narrowed, as if sensing faint, intangible energy fluctuations shimmering subtly in the air above. "Indeed, he possesses energy sensitivity. Good thing he didn't force a leap—otherwise, those invisible energy perceptions would have immediately revealed his presence. Once discovered, with the specialized powerful crossbows equipped in such military fortresses, he'd be an easy target for relentless arrows. Even if, with the help of the Elder's energy, ordinary crossbows couldn't harm him, the specially crafted, rare metal crossbows could still pose a serious threat when he was unprepared. The Elder's energy enables him to channel his strength, but it doesn't make his body strong enough to withstand the force of a powerful crossbow's thrust. As for this vast empire, it's hard to believe it lacks means to counter high-level warriors. He's heard of such specialized weapons—like the Break-qi Triple Crossbows, the Divine Flame Bow, and the Soul-Transcending Arrows—but they're extremely difficult to forge, so only a few military units are equipped with them." As they drew closer to the city gate, Xiao Yan's gaze settled on the towering gate. Upon observing the remarkably strict defenses in place, his brows furrowed further. When they were still about a hundred meters from the city wall, the swiftly advancing column of troops finally came to a halt. Two men stepped forward from the front of the mercenary company and waved their hands to lead the group toward the gate. The two men appeared to be the leaders of the mercenary unit. Seeing them conversing with the guards in a friendly manner, it seemed they were well acquainted—likely not visiting the "Town of Ghosts Pass" for the first time. After several minutes of discussion, the previously reserved guards, whose expressions had been stiff, gently moved their hands as though receiving something from the mercenary leader. Then, hesitantly, they nodded and gestured toward the rear, whereupon the sturdy obstructions such as the barricades and spear shields that had been blocking the entrance were gradually removed. “Hmph…” Seeing that the guards hadn’t even searched the squad, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but let out a deep breath, his tense body relaxing considerably. He tightened his sweaty hands around the handle of the cart and quickly lowered his head, pushing the cart forward to join the procession heading toward the city gate. However, just as the group was about to enter the city gate passage, a sharp, cold command suddenly rang out, causing the entire procession to halt abruptly. “Who allowed them to enter so casually?” As the voice echoed, a series of clanking sounds from armor collisions emerged from the dark city gate. A few moments later, dozens of well-equipped, elite soldiers, each holding long spears, blocked the gate once again. A young man with a stern expression stepped forward, his cold gaze fixed on the mercenary squad. “Ah, it’s Master Meng La. It’s been several months since we last saw you—your bearing has truly grown more distinguished.” "Seeing the procession halted, the mercenary commander hurried out. Upon spotting the young man with a stern expression, he quickly brightened his face, offering a servile smile and saying, 'Barun, let's cut to the chase. In the past, we've let you pass without much fuss. But today, that's no longer possible. My father has insisted that anyone wishing to enter the 'Town-Ghost Pass' must undergo strict inspection.' The young man sneered, then produced a sheet of white paper from his sleeve, tossed it to the guard beside him, and said coldly, 'Have every single person checked. If anyone matches the portrait, execute them on the spot!' The guard carefully took the paper, offered a helpless smile to the commander named Barun, then raised his hand. Instantly, nearly a hundred guards at the city gate raised their long spears and began moving along the line to inspect each person in turn." "Damn it..." When that young man appeared earlier, Xiao Yan had silently cursed under his breath, only to find that his prediction had come true—the Cloud岚 Sect's warrant had indeed reached the imperial border region. The guards stationed at the front had individually searched the troops, comparing their appearances against the portraits before finally allowing them to pass. Though the mercenaries were quite annoyed by the guards' formalities, they dared not show any defiance, knowing well that if they displeased this young man, their entire company might never make it out of the city. With tens of thousands of imperial soldiers poised to charge, even the strongest Battle Kings would have to retreat temporarily—such legendary feats of "one against ten thousand" were rare indeed. "This young man is quite astute—no trace of the delicate airs typical of the noble youths within the Empire." When he saw that Meng La had disregarded his own status and directly approached the lowly servants, Xiao Yan's brow furrowed, feeling a growing sense of trouble. With such an investigation, it would inevitably come to light. If his presence were revealed here, the consequences would certainly be serious. Upon hearing Meng La's command, the servants, who had previously remained expressionless, hurriedly bowed their heads and wiped the yellow dust from their faces with their sleeves in a few swift motions. Meng La's cold gaze slowly swept over their faces. After a moment, he shook his head slightly, somewhat disappointed, before about to withdraw his gaze—then his eyes suddenly sharpened. He tilted his head slightly, fixing his attention on the last servant still低头 among the crowd, dressed in a gray robe, and coldly commanded, "Raise your head." Heads turned toward him as he shouted, the people around the city gates, and the mercenaries likewise stared in astonishment at this humble servant. The gray-robed servant sighed, lifting his head. Behind the veil of yellow dust, his face revealed two calm, dark eyes like night. As their gaze met, Mo Lan was momentarily stunned—his mind instantly flashed back to the dark eyes depicted in the portrait. His face paled instantly. Years of battlefield combat had sharpened his senses, so that almost instinctively, he touched the ground with his foot and stepped back swiftly, his voice sharp and urgent as he roared, "Seize him! He is Xiao Yan!" However, though he reacted with remarkable sharpness, his strength was merely at the Battle Master level. As soon as he slightly retreated, Xiao Yan sneered, his body flickering like a ghost, closing in on Meng La. His palm, resembling an eagle's claw, shot out with lightning speed and struck hard against the latter's chest. Instantly, Meng La spat out a thick stream of blood, his face turning pale. Though the first blow failed to kill him, Xiao Yan was about to deliver a follow-up when Meng La suddenly darted in, slipping behind the soldiers. For a Battle Master-level fighter to display such agility was truly rare. "Ssshh—ssshh—" Several sharp, long spears, glowing faintly with battle energy, surged forward with broad, dynamic arcs, piercing directly at Xiao Yan's head with relentless force. The sheer intensity of their attack was no mere display—it was the kind of commanding presence only a veteran soldier from the battlefield could command. The head twisted, deflecting the lance, yet Xiao Yan's offensive was momentarily halted. Observing the soldiers rapidly converging, he slightly furrowed his brows and stepped back. At the city gate, everyone was stunned by the swift developments—especially when they saw Meng La, hailed as the most outstanding among the young generation at the "Ghost-Controlling Pass," now taken down with a heavy blow, his expression shifting from astonishment to near-stillness. As the mercenary's voice fell, a wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd, countless eyes filled with a mix of emotions fixed firmly on Xiao Yan. The most stirring event in the recent history of the Jima Empire had undoubtedly been Xiao Yan's bold incursions into Yunlan Sect. With the official warrant issued by Yunlan Sect, nearly every citizen of the empire knew that anyone who provided intelligence about Xiao Yan to the sect would be rewarded with a senior-tier Qi cultivation technique—a technique that, on the market, was equivalent to hundreds of thousands of gold coins, and one that remained in high demand due to its scarcity. Such substantial profits had already prompted many to take risks and act boldly. I think, should this reach the royal court of Jiamu, even your father would have to face serious penalties," Xiao Yan wiped the yellow dust from his face, his gaze sweeping over the hundred elite soldiers blocking the city gate, and coldly remarked. Hearing Xiao Yan's sharp laugh, the soldiers paused, then hesitated—by protocol, they were indeed part of the official military forces, unrelated to Yunlan Sect, and the warrant for Xiao Yan's arrest had never been officially recognized. To capture Xiao Yan outright was, in fact, illegal. "Hah! What a sharp-tongued young man!" As the soldiers hesitated, a cold, sarcastic voice suddenly emerged from the city gate passage. A middle-aged man in silver armor stepped forward, his eyes coldly assessing Xiao Yan, and declared, "I am Meng Li, Deputy Commander of the 'Zhengui Pass.' You have breached our fortified city without permission. By the imperial military code, you should be detained. I urge you to surrender promptly, or risk making things far more difficult for yourself." "You're Meng Li? The dog of Yunlan Sect?" Xiang Yan scanned Meng Li's figure, sensing the faint aura emanating from within him, murmuring to himself, "From his aura, he must be a mid-to-late third or early fourth-tier Dao Ling, perhaps?" "Seize him!" Meng Li's face grew slightly gloomy; with a cold smile, he cut short any further words and commanded directly. Upon hearing Meng Li's order, hundreds of fully equipped elite soldiers surged forth from the dark stone passageway, encircling Xiang Yan tightly, their sharp, long spears gleaming with a cold, sharp radiance under the sunlight. "The infiltration has failed—we have no choice but to storm in..." The overwhelming atmosphere of martial intensity surrounding him gradually turned Xiang Yan's expression colder. With a simple gesture, his massive Xuanzhong Scale materialized, and as he swung it, a steady wind roared behind it. "Kill!" Staring at Xiao Yan as he drew his weapon, Meng Li chuckled darkly. A few days ago, he had received word from Yunshan. According to Yunshan, Xiao Yan had been injured during the great battle at Yunlan Sect the day before, and thus no longer possessed the terrifying strength he displayed when fighting him. That was why Meng Li had dared to agree to this ambush. Otherwise, no matter how many times he tried, he would have dared not come between Xiao Yan at his peak—after all, a warrior capable of battling a Douzong-level cultivator could not possibly be held back, even if he had to sacrifice every single soldier in this fortress. "Stop!" "Just as the battle-scarred warriors were about to launch their assault, a sharp cry suddenly erupted, followed by a shadow descending like an iron tower, crashing down onto the ground and shaking the earth violently. He scanned the surroundings before fixing his gaze on Meng Li, coldly remarking, 'Meng Li, my 'Silver Armor Army' isn't from Yunlan Sect. If you wish to please Yunlan Sect, then you must act on your own—don't expect my troops to serve as stepping stones for you.' 'Wood Iron, you—!' Meng Li's face turned ashen upon seeing the towering figure, shouting in outrage. 'Hmph! Silver Armor Army, get out of the way!' The man known as Wood Iron ignored him, turning to the elite soldiers who had surrounded Xiao Yan and commanding, 'Retreat! Commander!' 'Yes, Commander!' Hearing his command, the soldiers showed no hesitation at all. With a crisp sound, they neatly drew their spears, then quietly retreated into the city gate passage, motionless like sturdy posts. It was clear that the man named Mu Tie commanded far greater prestige than Meng Li. "Are you Xiao Yan?" laughed the massive man warmly. "Hah! Young man—brave! For all these years, you're the first to have embarrassed Yunlan Sect so thoroughly. If it weren't for your status, I'd really like to invite you to have a few drinks with me." His laughter echoed like thunder. "Thank you, Commander Mu Tie," replied Xiao Yan, slightly taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Seeing Mu Tie's kindly, unfriendly expression, he smiled politely and responded with courtesy. "There's no need to thank me. I'm merely doing my duty. If the official recognizes Yunlan Sect's warrant, then I'll have to take you. Fortunately..." Wood Iron waved his hand, glanced sideways at the steadily flushed Meng Li, and smiled, "As long as you can escape this man, the 'Seal of the Spirit-Soother' will offer you no further obstacles." "Then thank you." Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face subtly brightened with a quiet intensity. Turning to Meng Li, he smiled lightly, "Meng Li Deputy Commander, if you wish to claim my head for Yunlan Sect's reward, then go ahead and take it yourself..." "Precious little brat! Such boldness! I won't believe you can't be handled even with your current injuries!" His face turned alternately pale and cyan. Meng Li hadn't expected this time to be drawn into the situation himself. To be honest, he felt quite afraid of Xiao Yan's methods—after all, even a strong figure like Yun Ling had fallen victim to Xiao Yan. Yet at this moment, if he showed any hesitation, his reputation within the "Town of Ghosts Pass" would surely plummet. Despite his inner unease, he had no choice but to press on.